Shelving, including shelf adjustment fastener



Feb. 18, 194'?, A H VG, KNUTH 2,4l52f5 lSHELVING, INCLUDING SHELF ADJUSTMENT FASTENER Fiied Nov. 8, 1944 Patented Feb. 1S, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SHELVING, INCLUDTNG SHELF ADJUST- MENT FASTENER 2 Claims. (Cl. 21,1-136) This invention relates to cabinet shelving and to means for adjustably holding the shelves in position with respect thereto.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide a shelf cabinet wherein the shelf is simply formed in a manner to permanently carry its own means whereby it may be adjusted with respect to various positions within the cabinet, and wherein the adjustable means is easily operable and is permanently connected with the shelf itself, and particularly wherein the shelf adjusting means is mounted on the shelf in an out of the way position yet is so constructed that it is easily and quickly operable to accomplish the adjustment which detachably secures the shelf to the cabinet part.

Yet another object of the invention resides in providing a shelf for a cabinet with resiliently operating plunger members which are formed as a part of the shelf and permanently aflixed thereto, whereby the same cannot become lost during shipment and whereby the plunger members are immediately operable quickly and adjustably and securely to hold the shelf in desired adjustable position in the cabinet.

Another object of the invention is to provide the cartridge or capsule-like device, a selfcontained shelf adjustment fastener which is permanently united by a simple friction nt to a corresponding thimble member formed in a portion of the shelf wall, the arrangement being such that when in position the shelf wall will permanently carry the shelf adjustment fastener in such a manner that it is easily accessible for immediate operation to retract the plunger sufriciently within the capsule to permit the plunger when released to project into one of a series of selected openings in the shelf supporting wall of the cabinet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shelf of sheet metal wherein an integral flange or skirt thereof is provided with an integral thimble or shell-like housing to receive the selfcontained shelf adjustment fastener capsule in a manner to form a friction-tight ttin'g therewith whereby to permanently hold the fitting to the shelf wherein the fastener is mounted in an out of the way position yet instantly accessible for adjusting the shelf and securely holding it in position in the cabinet.

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 with the locking device being shown in unlocked position; and

Figure 5 is a modified view showing the inner end of the fastener plunger formed with a different type of handle.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the shelving forming a part of the invention herein is shown as applied to any type of open front cabinet having the upstanding side walls l and 8, the top 8 and preferably the back lll. In addition, the cabinet is preferably formed to include four upstanding columnar corner posts l2, I4, l@ and I8, each post being preferably formed of sheet metal to provide a hollow Ysquare or rectangle, thereby lending rigidity to a post. Each one o f these columns is provided with a vertically disposed series of fasteners or plunger receiving apertures 2U formed in the inside wall 22 of the column lll. It is, of course, understood that any type of shelf supporting wall of the cabinet may be utilized in lieu of columns i4, provided they carry the series of holes or apertures 2'6. It is also understood that the shape of the apertures 20 is not a limitation on the invention, as such shape corresponds preferably to the shape of the plunger or fastening means carried by the shelf and now to be described.

In order to give each shelf its means whereby it may be adjustably secured to the cabinet in a number of variant adjustable positions, and whereby the fastening means may be permanently carried by and secured to the shelf so that they will not get lost during shipment and yet may be instantly accessible for operation, I form each shelf 2 with a preferably integrally disposed, downwardly extending skirt portion 2d. These skirts may extend all the way around the bottom of the shelf or only as needed to carry the fastening means. In Figure 2 I have shown the skirts as depending around the four sides of the top of the shelf 2. Each one of these depending integral skirts or flanges of the shelf is punched inwardly as shown in Figures 2, 3 and Il, the metal 25 being punched inwardly in such a manner as t0 form an open-ended, thimble, circular, inwardly extending flange which is open at both ends. The outer mouth of the flange is flush with the outer wall Z3 of the depending skirt and the inner wall Se of this circular flange extends some distance inwardly. The inner bore of this flange preferably is made of sheet metal-and is somewhat resilient to provide a grippingrflt.

The corresponding part of the shelf adjustment fastener is formed as a self-contained cartridge or capsule so that it can be manufactured as a unit, assembled preferably with a slip fitinto the opening of the circular shell 25 and thereafter frictionally heldin place with a good grip so that it will not become detachable from the shelf and at the same time will be positioned, if operative, instantly, securely and adjustably to support the shelf in desired position with respect to the shelf supporting wall of the cabinet. To this end the cartridge or capsule member of the self-contained fastener is formed as a shell-like or elongated tubular housing 32 open at both ends. One end, to wit the outer end, of this housing 32 is formed outwardly to provide an outwardly extending i'lange 34 and thencethe metal of the end is bent reversely upon itself to provide an inwardly projecting flange 36 which restricts the diametral size of the bore of `the shell and forms a stop member for an abutment carried by the elongated plunger fastener hereinafter described. The opposite end of the shell has its end peened or formed inwardly as a shoulder 38 which restricts the diameter of the bore of the shell at this end and forms a stop or an abutment for the resilient plunger urging member hereinafter described. The outwardly extending flange `3i! of the shell forms an abutment or stop shoulder so that when this shell is pushed inwardly into the aperture vformed inthe Vshell-like aperture 26 of the shelf skirt or flange 24, the shoulder 34 will Contact the mouth of this openingz and form a stop to limit the inward movement of the housing 32 and exactly position it with respect to the shelf flange 2d.

An elongated latching member, preferably in the form of a plunger, is resiliently reciprocable in the housing 3L. It is preferably in the form of an elongated, preferably round rod lil carrying a preferably circular abutment d2 in the form of a shoulder and having its outer end formed as a plunger-like latching projection Afl. The other end of the plunger @il may be formed with a series of circular serrations 36 shown in Figure 4, or may be formed with a curved handle as fragmentarily shown at @t in Figure 5. The end 36 of the shell 32 -is preferably spun inwardly to form the stopping shoulder 36 after the plunger and the circular spring 59 are assembled within the housing 32. Y One end of this spring rests against the abutment or shoulder i2 and the opposite end of the spring rests against the shoulder 33 of the housing. This spring 59 surrounds the plunger so that when it is in assembled position as shown in Figure 3 it normally urges the plunger iii outwardly in the position shown in Figure 3, yet may be very quickly retracted by grasping the handle i5 to pull the plunger inwardly substantially iiush with the vertical inner wall of the shelf, in which position, when the plunger is in line with any desired hole 2) it can be released, whereby the plunger will pass through the hole, whereby to lock the shelf to the shelf supporting wall of the cabinet. It is to be understood that I prefer to have each shelf provided with four of these latching members whereby securelyto support the shelf from each of its number. Other arrangements, dispositions and vnumbers of fastening means are within the contemplation of vthis invention. It is also apparent `that the shape of the plunger, the cross sectional shape of the housing, and the cross sectional shape of the openings 28 are matters of selection. I prefer the form illustrated.

It will be noted that by means of this construction I provide a self-adjusting fastener made up as a self-contained unit, which may be then pressed into place as a unit into the shelf and with which it thereafter remains permanently associated. The .plunger f may be machined or fabricated, and the serrations may be easily machined to provide a good hand grip.

Obviously the invention is not limited to-the speciflcdetailsof construction disclosed herein but is capable of other modifications and changes without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The invention Ais hereby claimed as follows:

1. A sheet metal cabinet shelf having a skirt formed with an aperture, the metal of said skirt at said aperture being turned inwardly to provide an inwardly extending tube, an elongated sleeve havingafriction fit in said tube, said sleeve having one end wall iirst flared outwardly toprovide an outwardly extending annular lip overlying the skirt at the outer edge of `the tube and then turned inwardly to provide an outer annular ange partly closing ysaid end of the sleeve, the

inner opposite end of said sleeve being inturned to provide an inner annular flange partly closing said inner end of the sleeve, a plunger having an operating part slidably mounted in said inner flange and projecting inwardly therefrom, said plunger having an outer locking end slidably mounted in said outer flange and an enlarged part forming an annular abutment disposed inwardly of said outer flange, and a spring coiled about said plunger and connned between said inner flange and said abutment.

2. A shelf construction for a cabinet comprising a sheet metal shelf having a top surface, an integrally depending skirt and an open bottom part, said skirt having a hole therein, a one-piece sheet metal sleeve tightly fitting in said hole and projecting beneath said top surface, said sheet metal'sleeve having at its outer end an outwardly flared portion overlying the skirt .at the edge of said hole, said outwardly flared portion terminating in an inwardly bent portion extending substantially parallel to the skirt adjacent thereto to provide an outer annular flange partly closing the outer end of said sleeve, the inner, opposite end of said sleeve being bent inwardly to provide an inner annular ange partly closing the inner end of said sleeve, a plunger having an operating part slidably mounted in said inner flange and projecting inwardlytherefrorn for manipulation through the open bottom part of said shelf, said plunger also having an outer locking end slidably mounted in said outer ange and an enlarged part between said locking end and said operating part and forming an abutment disposed inwardly of said outer flange to engage said ange and limit the outward movement of said plunger, and a spring about said plunger and bearing at one end against said inner flange and at the other end against said abutment to urge said plunger outwardly.

HARVEY G. KNUTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Number 15 Number Italian June 16, 1934v 

